Whether you’re new to xAPI or need a refresher on the basics, we’re going back to the drawing board both figuratively and literally. We’ll explain key concepts and even incorporate a fun, interactive drawing game to help you understand what xAPI is and how to use it. Chris Tompkins, Director of Sales, and Joe Donnelly, Customer Support Manager at Rustici Software, will illustrate key xAPI concepts. You’ll leave with a complete picture of how xAPI works and how it can benefit your organization.

1. Back to the Drawing Board:
Painting a Picture with xAPI
Joe Donnelly
Customer Support Manager
Chris Tompkins
Director of Sales
Part 2:
xAPI Basics

2. What we’ll cover
● What xAPI is and why it exists
● How xAPI works and why it matters
● The basics of a Learning Record Store (LRS)
● The anatomy of an xAPI statement
● Common use cases for xAPI and
its companion spec, cmi5
Audience’s
level of xAPI knowledge

3. About Rustici Software
eLearning technology experts
since 2002
We help connect content and
platforms across the eLearning
ecosystem, leveraging our expertise
in SCORM, xAPI, cmi5, LTI, and AICC.

4. What are these standards?
Standards help eLearning content and systems play well together
AICC
Aviation Industry Computer-Based
Training Committee
SCORM
Sharable Content Object
Reference Model
IMS LTI
Learning Tools
Interoperability
xAPI
Experience API
or Tin Can API
cmi5
computer managed
instruction
1998 2000 - 2009 2010 2013 2016

5. Don’t assume you’ll need xAPI
● Think of the eLearning standards as tools, select the right tool for the job.
● Sometimes age can be a strength.

6. What is the future of SCORM?
● It’s not going anywhere
● Ubiquity
● It just works (most of the time)
● Continue to be limiting

7. What is xAPI?
xAPI is also known as Experience API or Tin Can API
● Real-world experiences
● Breaks learning out of the web browser
● Share and receive data from other tools
● Collect data most important to you
● Correlate learning data with other
business metrics

8. SCORM
Taking an eLearning course in an LMS
xAPI
Tracking “hands-on” learning experiences
Knowing when to use xAPI over SCORM
Correlate nurses’ CPR training to their ability to save lives

9. Key differences between SCORM & xAPI
SCORM
✅
❌
❌
✅
❌
xAPI
✅
✅
✅
✅
✅
Tracks “Big 4”: Completion, Satisfaction, Score, Time
Multiple scores
Detailed test results
Tracks digital experiences in an LMS
Tracks interactive, adaptive learning outside the
LMS

10. Why care about xAPI?
xAPI matters if you are:
Organization’s L&D department
● Wanting to better understand learning
and its impact in a consolidated way
● Looking to integrate multiple platforms
across your learning ecosystem
Learning technologies vendor
● Designing innovative, engaging and social
learning experiences
● Wanting to customize data collection and
share metrics with other xAPI enabled
tools

11. Learning Record Store (LRS)
Having an LRS is necessary to take advantage of xAPI
● A database that receives, stores and returns xAPI statements
● People care about LRSs for different reasons
○ Hospital: for compliance and efficiencies
○ Nurse: for record keeping
○ CPR mannequin manufacturer: for continuous insight into
product
● Data Portability: Statement Forwarding

12. LRS Options
Choice of tools in the toolbox
● Different types of LRSs To Use:
○ DIY following xAPI Spec
○ Open Source (Learning Locker) skills required to use
○ OEM integratable learning record store (Rustici Engine)
○ Hosted record store with a UI like an LMS (SCORM Cloud)
○ Full feature analytics platforms (Watershed, Yet, etc.)

13. Anatomy of an xAPI statement
Follows an “[actor] [verb] [object]” structure
Actor
Name
User ID
Email
Verb
Watched
Clicked
Played
Paused
Opened
Object
eLearning course
Video
Resource link
Article

14. What is cmi5?
cmi5 is the newest learning specification
● “Set of rules” that makes it easier to use xAPI packages
● Defines how to handle xAPI activities in launched
scenarios, like playing a course in an LMS
● Launch mechanism to establish a learning session
● Information model that provides a template for how xAPI
statements can be tied together

15. Common use cases for xAPI at different scales
VISA
Track everything
3
Retail training
Track a few
things well
2
Applied
Technologies
Track one thing
deeply
1

16. SCORM Cloud LRS
● Easy to get started
● Simple to Manage
Endpoints and Activity
Providers
● Automagically converts
SCORM and AICC tracking
to xAPI Statements
● Statement Forwarding

17. Helpful resources
xAPI developer tools
● Try SCORM Cloud for free
○ https://cloud.scorm.com/sc/guest/SignUpForm
● ADL’s list of conformant LRSs
○ https://adopters.adlnet.gov/products/all/0
● ADL’s LRS Conformance Test Suite
○ https://lrstest.adlnet.gov/
● Open source client libraries
○ https://xapi.com/libraries/
● Watershed Case Studies
○ https://www.watershedlrs.com/case-studies/

18. Questions? Ask us anything.
Email us: info@rusticisoftware.com
Learn more: rusticisoftware.com | scorm.com | xapi.com